Paddling GlovesTom Watson reviews some general optionsfor protecting hands while out paddling:Simple neoprene, poggies, scuba gloves, etcQuick Tips for Canoe Camping TripsKevin Callan passes along some simple tricks he as learned over the years aboutcamping and paddling.. with videos too!

Reviews for Tofino Kayak by Necky Kayaks

We own two Necky Kayaks, both have been superb quality. We have the Tesla and the Tofino and they have taken us on many adventures, our longest trip was 6 months on the BC Coast going from our home of Kitimat to Vancouver, BC. It is extremely stable and able to pack a ton of stuff. It's like car camping and you can kayak in style. My husband paddled the Tofino by himself so it's easily handled by one person. The front cockpit was used for large format camera gear and a campfire tent - no need for a tiny, cramped tent. It easily handled any big wave we met. In our six months we had snow, rain, hail and bright sunshine. The finish remained perfect except for the dings we put on it getting to the beach through surf.

I highly recommend this to novice and experienced paddlers. May as well travel in style!!!!

I have owned my Tofino for 10 years, although it gets used infrequently. While it is a heavy boat (in fiberglass), it is ideal for those who wish to enjoy being on the water. Initial stability is about as solid as sitting in a lawn chair. It's not a go-fast boat, but it is an incredible all-around one.

My Tofino usually gets used for flats fishing (4" draft with 500 lbs aboard), wildlife photography, fun at the beach and lazy drifting. Providing you put around 80 lbs ballast in the front cockpit, the Tofino is a light single-hander. It's deck arrangement is such that I have a small anchor (used while fishing) and all lines are rigged to manage from the stern cockpit.

I might add that the boat will surf well in a following sea, and surfs well on moderate (1 - 2 foot) waves, although it "quarter-surfs" - not straight, not side-surfing, but off at an angle, rudder up or down. Again, stability is great but care must be taken while surfing to avoid a sudden roll - the boat has incredibly high limits, but once those are exceeded, reaction is quick. I lowered the center of gravity for this purpose by removing the wooden seats (which deteriorated quickly) and I sit on a foam pad directly on the bottom of the boat.

My only complaints about the boat are the plywood seat platforms, and the lack of bungee cord to keep the rudder foot control pedals within reach - owners would do well to add a short length of stretch cord between the controls and the center bulkhead. In my case, I drilled a small hole on the starboard and port side of the bulkhead, ran the bungee through and knotted it, which keeps the control pedals in reach.

I am 6'2" and 260 lbs. - the boat fits me like a glove, although it might be like trying to paddle the QE2 for smaller paddlers.

As long as you have come to terms with tandem kayaking and all it involves and you don’t have a strong “need for speed” this is a good choice. I have had the Tofino a few years now but I only use it a few times a year, all in the ocean. Fit and finish are very good. I have had no problems with anything and the kayak works as well as it did on day one. Like most glass tandems of this size it is HEAVY! (Even more so with a little gear thrown in.) So if your girlfriend / wife / child is your paddling partner seriously consider a kayak cart.

Very, very stable but that comes at the expense of speed. Even so, with two strong paddlers it still moves right along. So far the cockpits have remained bone dry. There is an immense amount of storage. If you are into kayak camping this could be a good choice for you. The front seat can be a little bit of a wet ride in the right conditions. This could probably be improved by moving a little more gear to the rear. I use this kayak primarily for saltwater fishing. It works out great that your partner can control the boat while you fight the fish and visa versa! Trolling also works very well because you never loose your momentum. If you need to pull in your line to check something, take a drink, scratch your nose, whatever, your partner keeps the kayak moving right along.

Things I would change: Smaller cockpits and larger compartment storage would be nice, maybe even more separation between seats and add another hatch in the middle. Add deck lines between the cockpits. I will probably do that this year.

My first trip in this boat was a 28 mile paddle in 2 to 3 foot waves and it handled the conditions without any sense of concern about the stability of the boat. Very easy to paddle alone or in tandem. this boat made me go out and buy several other single boats so my whole family can enjoy kayaking. It will take a lot of gear and still maneuver well and track straight. The hatches remained pretty dry through most conditions but with dry bags any water that came in did not affect my stuff. At 90lbs it's a little hard to get to the lake by myself but once I'm there I don't even realize I'm paddling a tandem boat.

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